


When You Were Here

by Driwed



Category: ONEUS (Band), The Boyz (Korea Band)
Genre: Deceit, Mystery, driwed, oneus - Freeform, oneusfanfic, theboyz, theboyzfanfic, whenyouwerehere
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-17
Updated: 2019-04-06
Packaged: 2019-11-19 15:46:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 11,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18137735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Driwed/pseuds/Driwed
Summary: 12 friends go on a trip together to kick off their annual group activity week as usual. However, things become complicated as weird messages start to arise.





	1. Brief Words

**i'll cut to the chase. Cross group: OneusxThe Boyz. mystery and what not. this will probably suck but hey, maybe not. idk.**

**My other Oneus stories:**

** Rednegne ** **(completed)**   
** disfunctionality ** **(completed)**   
** Short ** **(completed)**   
** Believe In Me ** **(completed)**

**My other The Boyz stories:**

** My Bully ** **(completed)**   
** Sin ** **(completed)**   
** To J.B ** **(completed)**   
** To Each His Own ** **(completed)**   
** Forget Me Not ** **(completed)**   
** Dawn of Love ** **(completed)**   
** Seaside ** **(completed)**   
** disillusion ** **(completed)**   
** Breathless ** **(completed)**   
** Heated Desire ** **(completed)**   
** MedicalHockeyAu ** **(completed)**   
** detraction ** **(completed)**   
** Drizzle ** **(completed)**   
** guidance ** **(completed)**   
** Dashing ** **(completed)**   
** Artist ** **(completed)**   
** Florescent Nostalgia ** **(completed)**   
** Skirt & Sister Chan ** **(oneshots)**   
** Different ** **(completed)**   
** little ** **(completed)**   
** Us ** **(completed)**   
** He's Bad He's Worse ** **(completed)**   
** Extricate ** **(completed)**   
** My Juyeon ** **(completed)**   
** "Boy, Love" ** **(completed)**   
** Apathetic ** **(completed)**   
** Pneuma **   
** Airy ** **(completed)**   
** Biellmann **   
** Podcast : Reverie ** **(completed)**

**also, i noticed the length of this story and i think it's going to be short unlike seaside. oops**


	2. ㅇMeeting upㅇ

**(mostly texts for now as they have to come together first)**

 


	3. ㅇMeeting Up pt2ㅇ

**[Changmin]**

He parked the car and turned off the engine. Two other cars were parked behind us. "Eh, so the lovebirds and Sangyeon's group is here already..." I frowned at the thought of seeing him again. "We just got here and you're already upset." "Oh hush." Younghoon chuckled then went on ahead. I looked at Keonhee who shrugged. "You're gonna have to face him sooner or later." We walked side by side as we entered the motel.

"Keon?" "Kev?" They hugged each other then immediately took off to god knows where. "I thought I smelled something unpleasant." I crossed my arms as Chanhee descended the stairs. "Hey Younghoon. Sangyeon's upstairs contacting the others, making sure they reach the right place." "Chan, don't tear up the poor guy. Or else I'll let Youngjo know." Chanhee sucked his teeth then glared at me. "You're lucky you have Youngjo's favor. Or else you wouldn't even be here with us." He marched back upstairs and I was now alone in the lobby.

I decided to sit outside and wait for the others to arrive. I didn't understand why Chanhee disliked me so much. Ever since I joined the group he's looked down on me like some kind of lowly peasant. I heard a car pull up and familiar faces enter my sight. "Eric! Jaehyun!" They waved and approached me. "So, I see quite a few are here." I nodded then noticed Eric had leaned closer. "Is _he_ here?" "I didn't see him. Chanhee didn't mention him either." The door opened and tension filled the air. "Brat." "Jackass." They growled at each other and Jaehyun and I had stepped in between. "No fighting. We're here to have fun." "I am not ending up back in ER cause of this reckless kid!" "I told you not to move and what did you do? Move!"

I still didn't know what happened that day between them, but it must've been bad enough to make them hate each other. Jaehyun took Eric inside and I received an apologetic look from Hwanwoong. "Sorry you had to see that." "It's fine. If you don't mind me asking, what exactly happened?" "Ah, don't mind it." He patted my shoulder then wandered off somewhere. For as long as I've known all of them, they never liked to speak of the past. Was there a reason why?

I headed back inside then headed up to our room. I knocked on the door and Younghoon had answered. "Great, you're here. I was just about to call you." I opened the door fully and saw everyone but Hwanwoong in the room. "Hwan isn't with you?" "He went to cool off." "Hopefully he doesn't come back." Jaehyun was the only one to react. I guessed everyone was used to comments like this. "Someone can just fill him in later. So, here's our plan for the week." I heard a few groans. "Does everything have to be outdoors?" "I didn't plan it. Sangyeon was in charge this year." Sangyeon glared at Younghoon who only shrugged. They easily threw each other under the bus.

Though I wasn't completely innocent. I've said my fair share of heartless things. Outed people on occasion. Maybe I was a good fit for this group. "So, we'll spend today free to do whatever. Then tomorrow morning we'll get ready for our hike." The same people groaned at the thought of it.

Our room now consisted of Younghoon, Keonhee and I. "Younghoon." "Hm?" "What happened between Hwan and Eric that they're at each other's throats?" He shook his head and turned his attention back to his phone. "Why does everyone keep quiet about the past?" "We can't tell you. Sorry, Chang." I looked between them then pouted. "Was it before I joined the group?" "Yep." I sighed heavily. They were all a mystery that I couldn't seem to solve. Just when I think a door is opening up, it either closes or simply takes me back to where I started.

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I heard someone knock on the door late at night. Keonhee was out cold while Younghoon was showering for whatever reason. I slipped out of bed then noticed something posted on the door. It was being held up by tape. _"'I'll tell you what you what I know. Come to room 203.' No name."_ Which group was in room 203? I slipped the note into my pocket then grabbed the room key before leaving. I gently knocked on room 203's door then waited for whoever it was to answer. Who answered wasn't someone I expected. "Oh, it's you." "Chanhee...?" "Hand over the note." I handed it over then had the door closed in my face.

I knocked on the door a bit louder as it pissed me off. Hwanwoong had answered. "Where's Chanhee?" "The bathroom, b-" I gently moved him aside then swung the bathroom door open. "I said-" He soon screamed then threw a brush at me. It hit me, but I didn't care. "How do you just call me over then close the door in my face?" He rolled his eyes then closed the door and locked it. "Sit." I sat on the sink then watched his slender naked body turn on the faucet. "I wanted Keonhee. Instead I got the wannabe." I started fuming again.

"What do you need Keonhee for?" "None of your business." He hit my thigh a few times to get me to move off the sink. He checked his hair and face before pointing to the door. "Now get out." "You didn't-" "Out!" I looked him up and down before walking away. "This isn't over." "Die in a pit." I would've went back in after him if Hwanwoong didn't drag me out.

 


	4. ㅡMorning Hikeㅡ

I stretched out then noticed I had ended up sleeping alone. I looked over at Younghoon who slept alone. Keonhee wasn't around. Did Chanhee get to him? Just as I got up to look, he had come back in. "I already showered, so it's free for you to use." "Where did you go?" "Lovebirds. Wanted to chat." I internally scolded myself for letting my thoughts run wild. Whatever problem they had they could solve themselves.

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"So, we'll go in two groups of 6." I rejoiced in silence as I wasn't stuck in the same group with Chanhee. My group consisted of Keonhee, Kevin, Youngjo, Hwanwoong, and Jaehyun. Add me into the mix and that made six. We split away from the other group and began our ascent. Bugs buzzed past us and some hung around. Exposed roots of trees threatened to trip us. I caught up with Youngjo in hopes of finally having a decent conversation since our arrival. "You've been awful quiet." "Just thinking. Maybe we shouldn't meet up like this anymore." I rapidly blinked at his declaration. This was my first trip with them and I possibly wouldn't get to ever again?

"Why do you say that?" "Reasons that I can't exactly explain. I'm sure everyone else probably feels the same way." I frowned as he kept a straight face the entire time. He seemed intent on breaking up the annual thing. "Hey, Youngjo. I heard you all were in a club back in high school. What club was it?" "I don't remember." He gave me an apologetic look. I couldn't really blame him as he was a senior and was close to graduating college, so he probably had a lot of worries. "Do you have any fond memories of it?" "Of course. I'd rather not talk about it right now. Kinda wanna enjoy the outdoors."

I looked behind us then noticed two had stayed behind. "Forget them. Jaehyun wasn't built for the outdoors. Hwanwoong has a good sense of direction so it's best to leave him with Jae." I slowly nodded at Kevin's statement then kept walking. I glanced back once more and saw them waving. _"Guess I worried over nothing."_ I walked behind Keonhee and Kevin who were whispering to each other and would occasionally crack up. I never would've thought of them being best friends. I could say the same about Hwanwoong and Eric too. Despite all the underlying tension and secrecy, they really weren't such a bad group of friends.

I still often wondered why a senior like Youngjo was interested in an underclassman as myself. I didn't mind it though as I came to college without any friends. I considered it an immense amount of good luck then. And here I was, with 10 good friends and a guy who hates me. I left my thoughts then noticed I had started to fall behind. The trees started to get thicker, so it made it harder to keep up and see where they were going. I eventually lost sight of them. I decided to stay put as wandering around wouldn't do me any good. I checked to see if I got any reception then felt reassured when I had a few bars.

The sun had started to set and my ass was starting to flatten. I tried the entire group, but only Hwanwoong had answered. Even then he couldn't come as Jaehyun had hurt himself on the way down. It was a lame excuse, but I decided not to call him out on it. I didn't need anymore people hating me. I texted people from the other group and received just about the same response. They had already gone back down to the meeting point. I doubted there were dangerous creatures that lurked about at night, but I definitely wasn't sleeping outside. I got up and tried making my way down.

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Night had blanketed the sky as I finally reached the bottom. As I had figured, no one had stayed behind. It felt as if they wanted me gone. "You made it." I looked to my side then noticed Juyeon. "Did you wait here?" "Yeah. I couldn't bear the thought of leaving you alone up there. And I felt bad for not going back up for you. I was worried that we both would've gotten lost." I waved his statement off then motioned for him to walk with me. "You must be tired. Let me carry your bag." "It's not heavy. I promise." I liked Juyeon. Out of everyone in the group, he was the sweetest right next to Youngjo.

We parted ways as his room was a bit farther down the hall. I knocked on the door then waited for one of them to open it. "Oh, you're back." "That's it?" Keonhee yawned as he walked into the room. "Where's Younghoon?" "Hm...I think Geonhak's room. Or Youngjo. Pick your poison." He flopped onto the bed then cuddled a pillow. I decided not to bring up what happened as Keonhee genuinely seemed tired. "How long have you and Kevin been best friends?" "Uh...half a year after we joined the club. We just fit you know?" I didn't know. I didn't have anyone like that in my life.

"How did Geonhak and Younghoon become best friends?" "Ask them yourself. Let me sleep." Little did I know a storm was brewing in the other rooms.

 


	5. ㅇThe Firstㅇ

Furious knocking on the door roused me from my slumber. I groggily answered the door then felt my body being shaken. "Wake up. It's an emergency meeting." "Emergency meeting...?" Juyeon nodded then left. I looked back at Keonhee and Younghoon who slept peacefully.

"So, I'm sure you're all wondering why we woke you up when our next activity isn't until later." The entire group nodded. "Eric is missing." Murmuring started to ensue. "Missing? You sure he didn't just go out for a walk or you know, leave? Maybe he got bored of this." Jaehyun sighed as if he expected this kind of answer. "Eric texted me. It was strange." He held up his phone for all to see.

Murmuring continued as we quietly discussed amongst ourselves. "We all know how Eric is and something like this he wouldn't type." "Can't we just locate his phone? Why is this meeting even necessary when we can simply do that?" Everyone agreed with Chanhee. Even though I didn't like him, he made a good point. "I wouldn't have called this meeting if I didn't try to locate his phone." Sparks could be seen between Jaehyun and Chanhee.

"Well this works out for me. I no longer have to hear his constant yapping." Jaehyun frowned at Hwanwoong's statement. "Did you do something to him?" "Lil' ol' me? I could never!" A few people held Jaehyun back from strangling Hwanwoong. The group was starting to fall apart. "Everyone. Why don't we just go back to where he last was? Does anyone remember?" "Actually, a few of us got separated, including Eric." My idea sounded great until Younghoon said his statement. "Let's try Changmin's method, but only a few will go as we might mess things up if too many are around."

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We checked tree trunks and under leaves for any hints and/or clues. Everything was clean. No sign of a struggle. No signs of him being dragged. "Was he acting weirdly before you separated?" "No." "Anyone else?" They shook their heads. This was getting harder by the second. There was nothing to go off of. "Chang, let's head back. I don't think we'll find anything." I looked at Youngjo who had spoken up. The other two nodded. "Might as well..."

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Everyone had gone back to their rooms, but I paid Jaehyun another visit. "When did you get this message?" "Last night at some ungodly hour of the night." I looked the message over then wondered what it meant. "I'm sure it's safe to say that everything after the comma is about Eric." Jaehyun nodded. "I figured as well." "I know everyone likes the past in the past, but now you all need to speak up." Jaehyun sighed then took his phone back. "He's probably dead anyway." I silently blinked at how fast his attitude had changed. Why were they so keen on staying tight lipped about the past? It was only going to increase my curiosity.

"So, hows it going Mr. I-wanna-play-detective?" I swatted Keonhee away as I thought. "Changmin, I know this seems harsh but, we have nothing to go off of. For now, let's forget about it until something turns up." I hated that Younghoon was convincing. "I understand." He patted my back then exhaled loudly. "Anyway, ready to go to swimming?" "I guess." How could I feel excited when someone was missing? A knock on our door garnered our attention. "Keon? Yeah, he's in here. Keon!" Keonhee was now up out of his seat and leaving the room. I caught a glimpse of light colored hair. "You coming? Meetup time is in 5." "Nah, I'm opting out today." "I'll let them know."

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I lied on the bed wondering if I should've gone. There wasn't much in the motel room and I could only play so much on the apps I had before it became boring. The door opened and I heard Younghoon and Geonhak entering. I don't know why I hid, but it seemed like the right thing to do. "Are we all going to just sweep this under the rug? We know how his parents worry." "I know. Jae and Chang want to do to something too, but there's so little to go off of." I covered my mouth as Geonhak rested his head on Younghoon's lap. I shook the thoughts away as it really wasn't anything scandalous.

"Do you think it was a one time thing?" Younghoon lied back then sighed. "I hope so. And I hope Eric is still okay." Geonhak sighed as well then sat up. "Are you still upset?" "About?" "You know what I mean." Younghoon sat up as well then stared wordlessly at him. "Yes." Geonhak lightly laughed then stopped when Younghoon grabbed his arm. "I won't forgive you. Ever." Geonhak held Younghoon by his chin then kissed him. I didn't know what to do. Do I keep watching? Did I turn a blind eye? I kept watching. Geonhak was basically cheating on Juyeon. I covered my mouth as it started to go beyond kissing. Clothes started to come off, grinding turned into skin to skin contact, and small bed creaks were now mixed in with moans.

I sat quietly in the closet as I hoped they neared the end. "The sheets are messed up." "It's fine. We can just ask for more. No one will notice." He was wrong in that sense. "Everyone should be coming back, so it's best if we showered now." "Right." I soon heard a door close then peeked out. I hurried out the room then closed the door as quietly as I could. There really was more to everyone that what met the eye. If they felt that strongly for each other, why did Geonhak end up dating Juyeon?

 


	6. ㅡWho's Nextㅡ

Keonhee burst into the room in hysterics. Sangyeon managed to calm him down and get him to speak legibly. "Its an emergency..."

Soon the room filled with people. "Another fake emergency?" Keonhee glared at Hwanwoong, but kept his cool. "Kevin didn't come back last night." Everyone started whispering amongst themselves. "Quiet. Let him finish." Everyone gave Keonhee their attention. "I got a weird message too..." He held up his phone.

Keonhee looked close to tears again. "Kevin not a coward? That's laughable." Chanhee had struck. If it wasn't one it was another. "Someone is just pranking us. Those two are jokesters anyway." Everyone nodded in agreement with Geonhak. I looked at Youngjo who had his eyes closed. In both meetings, not once has he spoken. That could ring true for others, but I pointed him out as he had his eyes closed the last time as well. "This is not just a prank! I know Kevin!" We all heard someone sneer and another chuckle quietly. It belonged to Jaehyun and Younghoon.

Jaehyun spoke up first. "You said you know him, right?" "Yeah. I do." "Then I guess you know that he stole your girlfriend then broke up with her an hour later?" Keonhee's face began to fill with doubt. "And remember when you told me that you came back late drenched in rain water because Kevin was too far and too busy to get you? It was such a cruel lie. He was able to get you in fact." Keonhee had ran out the room filled with mixed emotions. We talked amongst ourselves and I took the opportunity to approach them.

"Hey Chang." "Did he really?" "The latter, yes. The former, no. Keon's girl was just trash." I sat down then asked why did they lie. "To see if he did know him best. And judging from how he reacted, I'd say Keon's been doubting him." They could've been nicer with it. "Did Kevin go out with everyone yesterday?" "Yeah." "Could you take me there?" They nodded.

ㄴㄱㄴㄱㄴㄱㄴㄱ

"Then he said he wanted to stay a bit longer. No one had stayed with him." I looked around, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. "It's just like Eric's. Hardly anything to go off of." I frowned as Younghoon had a point. Whoever it was cleaned up well. No one was perfect and should leave behind some evidence, but this person was a different breed. "Ready to head back?" "Yeah. I'm going to need everyone to start speaking up or else we might have another victim." They shook their heads then led the way back to the motel. Who was targeting our group and for what reason? There was hardly anyone around here. I doubt anyone knew us.

ㄴㄱㄴㄱㄴㄱㄴㄱ

I woke up from my slumber then checked the time. It was past 1:40 in the morning. I was about to go back to sleep when I heard small creaks out in the hall. Common sense told me to stay put, but I still ended up going anyway. "Keonhee...?" His face looked tired as if he hadn't been able to sleep. "You're up?" I nodded then followed him down the stairs. He exited the building then sat on one of the benches. I followed suit. "Kevin means a lot to you doesn't he?" "Yeah..." I slowly reached out to pat his head. I drew back as he didn't seem like he wanted to be touched. "Thought we knew each other...I guess I was the dumb fool." "I'm sure there was a reason why, Keon..."

He looked at me then laughed quietly. He kept laughing then shook. "What reason could he possibly give that would make sense? I nearly died that day. Until now, no one knew that." His body continued to shake. I didn't know how to comfort him. So I just hugged him. That caused him to sob. There was more to this than what he let on. "You can let go now." I let him go then watched him sit forward. "This probably isn't a prank. And they might be in danger. But no one takes us seriously, Jaehyun and I. And you too. I've heard it. Then laughing at how you want to play detective for an obvious prank. They even imitated you. I hope one of them ends up missing too so they could see it's not just a prank."

Keonhee's tone of voice was firm. He really did mean for it to happen. "I'm sorry to have dragged you out. You must be tired." "It's fine. I followed you anyway." He stood up then looked at me. "Be careful though. You might end up in trouble yourself. And we, Jae and I, might not be there to help." "Understood." He patted my head then smiled. "He'd be proud." "He who?" Keonhee quietly left his seat and went back inside. Who was he referring to? Little did we know someone was watching us from afar.

 


	7. ㅡFourth Dayㅡ

Sangyeon and Youngjo stood before us with serious looks. "We'll be combining yesterday's and today's activities. Meaning we'll start with yesterday's soon and today's later." We figured such a thing would happen anyway. "Onto the more concerning matter. It's been 3 days since Eric has been missing and 2 since Kevin has been missing. Sangyeon and I had contacted the police about it and they said they'd look into it. So everyone, we're asking you to stay alert. We don't know who's next."

ㄴㄱㄴㄱㄴㄱㄴㄱ

The game of volleyball was well under way. I was lucky enough to be chosen as a referee along with Hwanwoong. "They're playing really good." "If constantly eating sand equates to really good, then yeah." He wasn't wrong. Only a few were any good. The game ended with Team Aqua being the winners who now had the right to punish Team Sun. The happy atmosphere had almost made me forget what had occurred in the past few days. Everyone else seemed to have forgotten.

The net had been taken down and we carried the equipment back to the motel. Nothing strange had happened during volleyball. I was relieved at that fact, but one activity remained for today. It was the perfect opportunity to kidnap someone. "What's on your mind?" I was startled by Hwanwoong's voice. "Just the next activity. Can't wait." He laughed then said he thought I was going to mention Eric and Kevin. I frowned at how he could tell. I decided to pick up my pace as I didn't want to chat with him. "Hey!" "Oh, Juyeon." He gave me a smile and I felt guilt arise. I remembered vividly of what occurred between Younghoon and Geonhak. "Changmin?" "Huh? What?" "I asked if you were excited for later?" "Yeah. I think everything will be okay today." He nodded then talked about what he'd do when we got back to school.

ㄴㄱㄴㄱㄴㄱㄴㄱ

"Alright. We're creating 3 groups of 3 and one will have 4, so come pick a letter out of the box. Naturally you'd go off on your own, but due to earlier incidents, this is safer." We all picked from the box then looked for our buddies. I ended up in a group of 3 with Jaehyun and Sangyeon. "Now, have fun scavenging!" The others walked off while we waited for Sangyeon. "So, we need to find a crimson tipped leaf." Leaves littered the ground, making it harder. "How are we gonna find that considering its only March? Plus there are so many leaves." Sangyeon and I laughed as Jaehyun seemed stressed over a simple activity.

We searched around and I noticed Hwanwoong alone in the distance. Someone had come to him from the front. Neither moved. "Chang, you coming?" I quickly hurried after them in fear that one of them heard Jaehyun. I couldn't quite see who Hwanwoong was talking to, but I hoped he wasn't the next one to be kidnapped. "What were you looking at?" "Thought I saw a deer." "Wow, really? That's so cool..."

We found half of the items on our list. "Do you think anyone finished already?" "Doubt it." I doubted it as well. "Let's try to imagine where we would be if we were the object." "Hidden inside something." "Camouflaged." "Behind something." "Attached to an animal." They continued to list possibilities. "Okay, okay. Let's just utilize all of them as we look." They nodded then began searching. My mind drifted back to Hwanwoong and that person. Was he okay? Or was he secretly meeting someone in the group?

ㄴㄱㄴㄱㄴㄱㄴㄱ

Sangyeon and Youngjo did a headcount before leaving the area. "Has anyone seen Younghoon or Keonhee?" Everyone shrugged. "Wasn't someone in their group? I know it was a group of three." Chanhee sighed then raised his hand. "I ditched them. Keonhee was so whiny and annoying. And Younghoon looked as if he preferred to not work with me anyway." Chanhee bickered back and forth with Sangyeon. I looked at Geonhak who looked a bit unsettled. He was lucky Juyeon wasn't near him or it'd seem suspicious. I still felt guilty for keeping quiet, but I didn't exactly want to get involved with it. "Okay, enough! Chanhee, where did you last see them?" "Uh, down that street by one of the houses. That yellow one." We moved as a unit to check for any clues.

"Nothing again." "How could they take down two grown men?" Chanhee burst into laughter and a few others joined him. "Really, Sangyeon? Two grown men? More like one grown man and a fragile woman." How could they make jokes at a time like this? Soon the sound of a slap rang in our ears. We quietly watched as Chanhee babied his cheek with teary eyes while Youngjo glared at him as if he would kill him in that instant. "Don't be so fucking insensitive Chanhee. I've heard nothing but insensitivity come from you the entire we've been here and I know I'm not the only one sick and tired of your bullshit."

Only the sound of things moving in the wind could be heard as we waited for what was going to happen next. "Don't act so high and mighty, Youngjo. I could out you in a heartbeat." Chanhee was slapped again. The second time sounded harder than the first. "It doesn't matter what happens to me. What does is that you stop being such a prick and that we get our boys back safe and sound." Youngjo looked at Juyeon and Hwanwoong who had laughed as well. "Don't follow in his pitiful footsteps." Youngjo walked away from the group and back to the motel alone.


	8. ㅅA Possibilityㅅ

I sat on the bed in the now empty room. My roommates were gone. My friends were gone. Gone. No trace of them. No clues or hints to go off of. How many more of us will disappear? I tugged on my hair in frustration. I hated that I couldn't do a thing. I made up my mind to try and do something rather than watch everyone get picked off or be a sitting duck. Where would I even start?

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I went back to where they last saw Eric. I moved leaves around in hopes there would be something that we missed. My finger brushed against something and I was quick to uncover it.  _"It's just a plastic bottle..."_  Even then, it could be a clue. I picked it up then inspected it. It looked normal. I couldn't find the cap.  _"Maybe it was blown away."_  I continued to look around but nothing else seemed to be present.

It probably would be best to have it analyzed, but I didn't have connections. I then thought of my mother. I dialed her number then waited for her to pick up. "Chang? Aren't you on your group trip?" "Yeah, but I just wanted to know if you were still in contact with one of you students. There's something I have that needs analyzing." "Oh, her. Yeah, we talk from time to time. I'll text you her number." She hung up then sent the text not too long after.

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"Then shake it." I shook the bottle and looked to see if any signs were present. "Eh, so this was used..." I heard someone knock on the door, causing me to spill a bit of its contents. "Who is it?" "Juyeon." I quickly hid everything in the closet then proceeded to act as normal as I could. "What brings you over here?" "I was just worried about you. What if you were the next target? Plus you're the only one alone in a room..." He made a valid point. "I'm fine. Nothing strange happened around me." He patted my head while smiling. It hurt to see that he didn't know what went on behind the scenes. "What's wrong?" "Huh? I...I'm just worried about our friends." "Me too. I really hope nothing bad has happened."

Juyeon closed the door behind himself, causing me to exhale. Eric was drugged. It was safe to assume the others were too as how else would they have been carried away that easily? I grabbed my bag then set out for the second crime scene. Kevin's scene.

ㄴㄱㄴㄱㄴㄱㄴㄱ

I circled the entirety of the lake. Nothing. Then it hit me. I took off my socks and shoes then jumped into the water. I looked around for anything suspicious. I couldn't find anything and had gone up for air. I repeated this a few times until I had spotted something.  _"It wasn't a bottle this time..."_  I floated for a bit while I thought. The person had used the water to their advantage. I shuddered at the order of events that played in my mind. They could've killed him if they weren't quick enough. I dove back in then quickly moved the rocks apart and pulled it out. It was easy to miss if you didn't look closely.

The sun began to set and the only clues I had were a sleeping drug and some string. The person was very resourceful and seemed to always make a clean getaway. I looked up at the sky then wondered if it was wise to continue searching despite night rolling in fast.

"And the yellow house." Where Chanhee had last seen them before ditching them. Meaning they could've been taken somewhere else. Even then, they could've used something and took it with them. Despite the odds stacked against me, I continued to look around. My phone started to ring and I checked the caller ID. "Sangyeon?" I accepted his call then put the phone to my ear. "Changmin? Are you okay? Where are you? Can you talk?" "I'm fine...What's with the sudden call?" "What's with the sudden call!? Do you know how worried we were hearing that you wouldn't answer the door then having staff unlock it and to see you weren't there!? And you ask-" "I get it. I'm sorry. I just went out for a walk. I was thinking too much and needed to clear my mind."

I had somehow managed to calm Sangyeon down, but had to head back immediately unless I wanted to receive a punishment from the entire group. Sangyeon could be pretty harsh when he wanted to be.

ㄴㄱㄴㄱㄴㄱㄴㄱ

I looked at Sangyeon who only nodded. "Would you rather Chanhee?" I frantically shook my head. "Now goodnight." I looked at Hwanwoong who was busy on his phone. "Think of it as a win-win. I win as I get a bed to myself and I get away from the cranky lesbian and aggressive dad. It's a win for you as now you're not alone and you're not rooming with Chanhee." "Valid points." I sat on the other bed then looked at him. "What?" "Why do you hate Eric so much?" "The past is the past. Eric is probably dead and gone." "You don't know for-" "Exactly. I don't know. That's why I can say it. He can be dead or can be alive."

I sighed heavily then noticed I had gotten his attention. "You know, I think it's good that this is happening now." I looked at him curiously. "It's giving us the wake up call we need." "Wake up call...?" He nodded then turned his attention back to his phone. "Our friendship has long since been tattered. Yet we act as if everything is okay."


	9. ㅇLast Activityㅇ

We sat in Sangyeon's room and I noticed it didn't feel as cramped anymore. "So, we've lost 4 of our friends to this kidnapper." We quietly waited for Sangyeon to continue. "Jaehyun, Geonhak. If you please." They stepped forward then showed us their phones.

This was getting ridiculous. What did this person know about them? "Okay, I'm sure everyone notices the trend here. It starts off with 'when you were here' then goes on to say something about the missing person." Everyone nodded at Juyeon's observation. "We don't know who's next or if this is the end. Everyone, please, stay alert. I don't want to lose more of you." Sangyeon had broken down in tears. Jaehyun patted his back as he sobbed into his own arms. The mood was terribly low.

"Youngjo, should we cancel the last activity?" "No. We'll be together for this one, so there's no need to cancel. We can take on whoever it is, as long as we don't separate. I'm not going to let them scare us into submission." I admired Youngjo's bravery, but we needed a plan more than bravery at this time. It did pump everyone up, so it did have some use.

ㄴㄱㄴㄱㄴㄱㄴㄱ

"Hwanwoong." "Yep?" "Are you scared?" "Yeah, but unlike everyone else, I'm smart enough to hide it." He really did look composed. I thought about tonight's activity then wondered if someone was going to be kidnapped again. It'd be impossible to get in and impossible to make a clean getaway. Which meant yesterday had to be the last of them. But we couldn't just leave our friends. The police haven't done anything to help us, so leaving it to them was too risky. "Chang, take a nap. Your brain will overheat." "Oh." He slid out of bed then pushed me back into the bed. "Close your eyes and think of nothing but sleep."

ㄴㄱㄴㄱㄴㄱㄴㄱ

My mind and body had started to awaken. It was starting to get dark out. I tried sitting up then noticed Hwanwoong had fallen asleep on top of me. He was probably the reason why I was able to fall asleep quicker and slept better. I poked his body then noticed he wiggled with each poke. I had had my fun and rolled him off of me. I quickly sat up at the sound of someone howling in pain. I scrambled out the room then noticed a few had gathered by Sangyeon's room. I looked over their shoulders then noticed Chanhee leaning over the bathtub holding his head. I pushed my way in as no one seemed intent on moving.

"Chanhee-" "Go away!" He curled into himself more as yelling had probably hurt him. "We may not get along at all, but I'm the only one giving a shit about you right now." He sighed then faced me. "I'll be fine. So just go." I turned him back around then moved his hand away from his head. "Chanhee...you're bleeding." "I'm fine okay?" His voice was cracking as he said it. "Can someone drive him to the nearest hospital?" "I'll do it." I handed Chanhee off to Sangyeon then stopped them. "Sangyeon." "Huh?" "You left Chanhee alone in the room?" "Yeah...I didn't think things would turn out like this..." "So, any one of you could've done it." All 4 of them looked at each other. "What makes you and Hwanwoong exceptions?" "You can't be serious, Geonhak. He literally came over after we did. And Hwanwoong didn't come out with him." "You never know."

"But, it's possible Sangyeon did it or Chanhee did it to himself." I decided to throw in Chanhee hurting himself as it would probably make the culprit more confident that they wouldn't be caught. "Those are possibilities too." I rounded them up into my room so we could further discuss things. "Putting Chanhee aside for now, does anyone have any idea who is kidnapping our friends?" Everyone shook their heads. "It's getting darker. I'm not sure if I want to continue with tonight's activity..."

I looked at Youngjo who had an unreadable expression. "Then let's not." Juyeon looked relieved. "Instead, we'll all stay in here and play cards until they get back from the hospital. If they have to stay overnight, then we'll all sleep in this room." Everyone seemed on board with the new plan.

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Youngjo checked his phone then put it away. "We're sleeping in here tonight." "No one is going to be sleeping with me nor with Changmin. Enjoy the floor." "Hwan..." "If it'll make him happy, then we'll occupy the floor." They left the room to go prepare for bed. "Let's get ready to sleep too." I nodded then headed into the bathroom with him. It felt a bit strange, but it was also safer this way.


	10. ㅡNew Dayㅡ

"He's gone!" I slowly sat up then rubbed my eyes. Who in their warped mind would be yelling so early? "Changmin! He's gone. Youngjo's gone!" My eyes snapped open as they scanned the floor. How could he have disappeared? There was no way for anyone to get in unless they were let in or...

"An inside job." Jaehyun looked at me confused. "There's only two ways that he could've been taken. Either someone is working with the kidnapper, or an inside job..." I looked around the room at the possible suspects. Sangyeon and Chanhee weren't excluded from it either. "Did you get a text?" He shook his head. "Help me check their phones." We woke up their phones in search of a notification. Jaehyun silently motioned to Juyeon. I mouthed an "okay" then motioned for him to come back over. "What did it say?" "When you were here, honestly used to be my policy."

I watched everyone arise one by one until they were half awake. "We lost Youngjo." Everyone was on alert then looked at where Youngjo used to be. "Hey, I got a text..." I looked at Juyeon and waited for him to recite it. "'When you were here, honesty used to be my policy.' Wow..." The others seemed shaken by the turn of events. "So, I'm going to need you all to talk. Now." I had them form a line outside so I could talk to each one on one. I had Hwanwoong stand guard outside in case anyone tried anything funny.

"So Jaehyun. Tell me everything you know about Eric." He sighed then folded his arms. "Good kid. Got good grades, got close with all of us. Especially me. We didn't reach that best friend stage like K&K." I nodded. "Hm...He told me a lot of things, but I noticed he often wasn't around at times. Skipped a few club meetings. A few times his eyes were a bit dilated. Red even. Other than that he's a nice, kind guy. Except around Hwan." "What about Kevin?" "I don't know. We really weren't close. Keonhee would know everything, but..." I wondered if the others would say the same thing. "Keonhee?" "Uh, I was convinced he was head over heels for Kevin. Yet he always denied it. Oh, he used to bring cookies to club meetings. He stopped after some time. What else...Oh! He had two girlfriends, both were trash. Kevin properly disposed of them. Not sure how." The group definitely was a strange one.

"Younghoon?" "He was the treasurer of the club. Everyone loved him along with the president, vice and secretary. He and Geonhak are pretty close believe it or not. Back in high school, I caught them holding hands in an empty classroom. Imagine the surprise I felt when Geonhak and Juyeon confirmed they were official. Actually, they had a pretty big fight in their freshman year of college, Younghoon and Geonhak. Only..." "Only...?" He looked as if he'd be punished for saying it. "Only  _he_  knows..." "He who?" "Can we move on?" His eyes pleaded with me. Just who is this  _he_  they always referred to? "What about Youngjo?" "He's the one who brought us altogether, along with  _him_...He was like the grandfather of the group while Sangyeon was the father. And  _he_  was like mom...Now that I think about it, he was acting weird around the same time Eric was. Younghoon and Kevin too. But Eric and Kevin are naturally weird, so it's nothing to worry about."

I sent him back out and Juyeon had come in. "Tell me what you know about the missing people." "Well, I'm not exactly close to the younger ones. I am close friends with Youngjo and good friends with Younghoon. I was one of the first members recruited into the club. Youngjo was always a pleasure to have around and he genuinely wanted the club to do well. They all did...Then in college, Youngjo seemed to be acting strangely. Younghoon at times too...I figured it was college stress getting to them. Gets everyone, you know?" "So, you don't know a thing about the other three?" He shook his head. I sent him out then watched Geonhak come in. "So, tell me what you know about the missing people."

"I don't know much about Keonhee and Kevin, to clarify. They weren't exactly my people. Eric was slightly hyperactive. We loved him for it. He cheered people up without really doing much. He brought a bit of the life to the club. Younghoon was like the cool stepdad of the club. Not the stepdad people shit on and all that. He was a real softie, especially towards me. We became best friends after some time. And Youngjo...the creator of this crazy group of friends. Yet he managed all of us well with the other three heads of the club. He, Eric and Younghoon hung out a lot at some point in our sophomore year...Then they suddenly went back to normal. Younghoon had also kept me at a distance then."

I blinked at the information he just gave me. Was it wise to bring up what I saw between them? I figured it wasn't. We had more pressing matters. "Geonhak, I'm trusting you to watch them outside. Swap with Hwanwoong." "Okay..." He left and Hwanwoong sauntered in not too long after.


	11. ㅅThe Hidden Truthㅅ

"Tell me what you know about the missing people." "Ugh, don't get me started on Eric. I liked him at first, but he really just got on your nerves. Wouldn't shut up and constantly annoyed you. It was like having a 4 year old. And I'll tell you what tipped me over the fucking edge. I was minding my own business and suddenly I'm being crushed underneath a pile of desks! And he really had the nerve to say 'I told you not to move.' Please, I was only in the situation because of him!"

I calmed Hwanwoong down so we could move on with everything. "Anyway, Kevin. He was like Eric, but smarter and less childlike. More like a preteen. It suited him really, but then he matured. That suited him too. He was still rowdy now and then, especially around Keonhee. Lord, those two together you were sure to have a wild night. Or a really chill night. There was never an in between. I found Kevin a bit possessive over Keonhee though. Keonhee, uh, he loves Kevin, clearly obvious, and what else...He's not as gullible as people think. In fact, he's really the brains of our group right next to... _him_."

"I've had enough. Who's  _he_? Who's  _him_? Tell me." He sighed then ruffled his hair. "Forgive me for breaking the promise..." "Wait, promise?" He nodded. "We all made a promise not to bring up the past, especially about  _him_. But now I'm breaking it because of you." I felt bad, but it's not like anyone would know he told me. I could simply claim I asked around their school. "Lee Seoho, the secretary of our club. Also the mom of the club. If you had a problem, go to Seoho. Had a bad day? Seoho. We went to him and Youngjo for most things, Sangyeon and Younghoon for the rest. Seoho never asked for much in return from us, so we all felt guilty for taking advantage of him."

Seoho sounded like a great guy. Why were they keeping him a secret? "So, we threw him a party one day and bought him stuff to show our appreciation. Everything was great. Then our heads of the club went to college and our friends a year ahead of us did too. Thats when things started to get a bit off balance. I don't exactly know the details, but something happened to them in sophomore year, Kevin and Eric too. Keonhee subtly mentioned Kevin wasn't doing too hot and Keon and I could see Eric wasn't either. Then we see on the news Seoho..." I felt bad for opening up memories he wanted to forget, but things wouldn't be solved otherwise.

"Seoho was arrested for possession of illegal drugs..." I handed Hwanwoong a tissue as a few tears rolled down his face. "What? But Seoho sounded like a literal angel." "Don't judge a book by its cover, Chang. And naturally, Seoho was expelled." Now that I had the story, I could try to piece things together. I yelled for everyone to come back in. They sat down then waited for me to speak. "Just relax for now. I'm still thinking." I had most of my ducks in a row, but a few things weren't adding up. Everyone I had asked mostly mentioned Eric, Youngjo, Kevin and Younghoon acting suspicious at some point in time. And seeing as how they were kidnapped, it's probably related to what their suspiciousness was.

What didn't fit was Keonhee being kidnapped as well. Was it an accident or planned out? What also raised suspicion was the angelic Seoho being arrested for illegal possession of drugs. Could people instantly change just like that? I doubted it, so he might've taken the blame for someone else. I didn't want to jump to conclusions, but the illegal drugs could possibly be related to our missing friends. A question popped into my head, but I was reluctant to ask. I didn't want them to suspect Hwanwoong of telling me.

"So, I did some snooping and found out that there was someone else in this group. Lee Seoho it said. Was anyone close to him?" No one answered. Was answering considered breaking the promise as well? "I also found out that he was arrested for possession of illegal drugs..." They looked at each other then Hwanwoong was the first to break, but Jaehyun had beat him to speaking. "Juyeon and the other 3 heads were close to Seoho."

I looked at Juyeon who nodded. "I was pretty shocked to see him on the news being arrested. Seoho wasn't like that. He was always good natured." He sighed then leaned against Geonhak. "I guess you can't judge a book by its cover." I started to think of possible motives for the kidnappings. The number one that made the most sense was revenge, but for what? Was Seoho possibly wronged?


	12. ㅅLeeㅅ

We were still stuck on who the kidnapper could be. I had a pretty good idea who, but I couldn't be too sure. The last thing I wanted to do was wrongly accuse someone. A knock was heard and Jaehyun had gone to answer it. "Chanhee, is everything okay?" "Yeah. Got a few stitches..." They sat down with the others. "Also, the promise is broken." Sangyeon's face filled with worry. "Who broke it?" "No one. I was the one who snooped around and found out. I pressured them into answering."

Sangyeon sighed and Chanhee didn't look the slightest bit surprised. "Seoho wasn't a bad apple, Sangyeon would know best." He nodded as he fixed his shirt. "I don't believe Seoho owned those drugs. He was framed, I know it." "Sangyeon, who would want to frame an angel like Seoho?" He shrugged. "None of us would fathom doing something like that." Something was missing. An important piece that would make things clearer. "Everyone said a certain 4 were acting suspiciously two years ago. Is it true?" "Yeah. Youngjo, Kevin and Younghoon would sneak off somewhere and sometimes they'd meet up with Eric and go somewhere. Whenever Seoho and I talked to them, it didn't seem like their spirit was there. Just their body."

The piece I was missing. The only thing left was to find evidence to pinpoint the culprit of the kidnappings. Yet there was nothing. And who was to say that the kidnapped ones haven't kicked the bucket? I stood up then walked around the room. "I'm going out for fresh air." I left the room then sighed. I couldn't enter their rooms without the room key. Having them in the room would make things harder. I could ask the staff, but I didn't have a strong enough lie. I was stuck just like back in the beginning. I walked downstairs then sighed.  _"If there's any supernatural being out there, I could use some help."_  As expected, no kind of response. What was I expecting?

I wandered around town, asking locals if they saw anything strange the past few days. Most hadn't, and a few who have said things that weren't related to the kidnappings. How was the kidnapper able to move around undetected, especially while carrying a body?  _"Unless..."_  It could've been concealed. I decided to ask around again with this in mind. I finally met someone who had seen a person carrying a rather large bag. He pointed me towards where they headed off to. I thanked him then hurried on my way.

Nothing seemed suspicious about the block. It was visible that people lived in every house. Which meant the kidnapper had an accomplice. I couldn't just bring up the person carrying a large bag otherwise they'd get defensive. I decided on asking if they've seen a large bag that I lost. I knocked on each door and was told by one that they saw a person with one enter the first house at some point. I had already asked the person living in the first house and now I needed a way in.

ㄴㄱㄴㄱㄴㄱㄴㄱ

I quietly watched from afar hoping the kidnapper would appear. It was starting to get late after all. I noticed the person had left then left something under the flowerpot. I checked around before heading over to see what it was.  _"A key!"_  I unlocked the door then put the key back under the pot. I locked the door behind me then heard pattering on the floor. A small pomeranian appeared from around the corner. I briefly played with it before resuming my search.

I started with upstairs before making my way down. After checking everywhere above, I started to look for a basement. I finally found it then began my descent. I turned on the light and saw the 5 of them wiggling around full of life. I approached Keonhee then removed the tape off of his mouth. "Oh my god, Changmin! It was awful. My back hurts, my arms too. Ugh, my legs are becoming stiff. I undid his restraints then pulled him away from the other four. "We can't release them yet." "What? Why?"

He nodded after I explained my reasoning. We both took the tape off of their mouths. "If you want to get out of here, you're going to have to fess up." I held my phone up ready to record. They looked at each other then at me. "I think you should worry about that later. We'll have company soon." I looked at Keonhee then at them. "Who kidnapped you?" "Juyeon. I don't blame him." I looked at Youngjo who seemed to be feeling guilt. I hid with Keonhee as we waited for Juyeon to arrive.

The sound of footsteps on the floor were heard along with a familiar pattering sound. "Where's Keonhee?" "Don't know." "Bullshit. There's absolutely no way he could've freed himself." I noticed the dog had sniffed Keonhee's restraints then started sniffing around. "Doesn't matter. Sallie will find him." She started to approach us then stopped. I silently pleaded with her to walk away. She tilted her head. I sent her hearts hoping it would convince her. "Did you find him?" Juyeon started to walk over. She then turned around then sat down somewhere else.

"I'm going to convince the group to leave tomorrow and you four will be stuck down here to rot. Just like you let Seoho get locked up to rot." I knew it. Juyeon had picked up Sallie and headed back upstairs. I emerged from the shadows then looked at them. "So, what'll it be? Come clean or rot?"


	13. ㅇCleanㅇ

We quietly watched as the five of them were led away by police officers. I then felt a hand on my shoulder. "We underestimated you." I looked at Chanhee who avoided making eye contact. "Glad you admitted that." Chanhee scoffed then walked away. "Wait." He turned around. "You know who hit you, don't you?" He laughed then waved my statement off. His face then became sullen. "I deserved it." Chanhee then left without another word.

I decided to check up on Geonhak after all of this. He opened the door and let me in. "I must've disturbed your packing." "It's fine." I silently watched him pack then decided to ask. "How are you feeling?" He stopped then resumed after a bit. "Surprised, hurt, depressed, anger." It would've been strange if he wasn't. "But also happy." That had caught my attention. "Happy?" He nodded then zipped up his bag. "Sure, I've lost my Juyeon and friends, but now they're going to have time to reflect on their choices and themselves."

"So, I've been wanting to know. Why did you date Juyeon?" He raised an eyebrow as if asking me to explain. "Well...I may or may not have heard you and Younghoon going at it." He sighed then lied back. "Guess we weren't sneaky enough." "You kind of didn't answer my question." He sat up then smirked. "You wouldn't understand, but I'll say it anyway." I leaned against the wall and waited for him to speak.

"Younghoon and I do indeed love each other, but we didn't want to put a label on it. Didn't want the pressure of it to ruin what we had. Then Juyeon asked me out and I agreed because Younghoon and I weren't official, so." "Did you ever have feelings for Juyeon?" "As if. Younghoon's the only one who could satisfy me." A knock was then heard. "Guess that's our cue." He patted my shoulder then walked out with his bag. I couldn't help but wonder if Juyeon ever knew about Younghoon and Geonhak.

ㄴㄱㄴㄱㄴㄱㄴㄱ

I sat in the car with Geonhak as it made sense since Juyeon was no longer present. "So, what's the first thing you're gonna do when we get back?" I hummed as I thought about it. "Visit Lee Seoho." "Take someone with you since you two never met before. I don't suggest Sangyeon." "Then what about you?" He shrugged then turned onto the highway.

"You know, I did want to put a label on us...but now I see why he was adamant about keeping things the way they were. Looking out for me until the very end..." I noticed Geonhak's eyes had gotten a bit misty. "Your relationship may be weird, but even a bird could tell your love for each other is pure. Sort of." He chuckled then briefly looked at me. "Even after finding he was involved with it all, I still love him...I'm stupid aren't I?" "A stupid human that's deeply in love." He shook his head as we drove down the highway.

ㄴㄱㄴㄱㄴㄱㄴㄱ

Geonhak pulled over then put on his hazard lights. "Get in safely." "Drive safely so that Younghoon has something to look forward to when he's released." "Shut up." We laughed and I watched Geonhak drive off. It must be nice having someone to love. They were certainly an odd bunch, but if you stripped them of all the lies, secrets and betrayal, they were the greatest friends you could ask for.

I hoped that the rest of us would be able to slowly move on from this ordeal as time passed.


	14. Bonus pt.1

I happily bounced over to my friends in hopes that they were in better moods than yesterday. I draped my arms over their shoulders with a large grin.

"How are you guys? Feeling better?" I asked cheerily.

They silently looked at me then two of them nodded. They looked somewhat better, but something about them was still off.

"Are we all still meeting up to get lunch?" I asked, hoping to spark some chatter.

"Yeah." Younghoon said with a yawn.

The others nodded then walked off without me. I watched them with somber eyes then felt someone touch my shoulder.

"Sangyeon!" I said full of life again.

Soon my vision was blocked and I heard two people laughing.

"Guess who." the person said in a higher pitched voice.

"Geonhak?" I asked innocently.

"Bzzz. Try again." the voice said.

"Jae?" I asked.

"Wrong." the voice said.

I heard shuffling then regained my sight. I heard myself squeal then hid in embarrassment.

"I told you he'd get like that." said Sangyeon from Juyeon's side.

"Sorry for doubting you. It was really worth seeing." said Juyeon happily.

I smiled widely as I pulled them closer as we walked to our classes. My mind shifted back to the others and my happy mood had fallen. They must've picked up on it as I felt one of them ruffle my hair.

"What's wrong?" Juyeon asked.

"It's Youngjo and them again... I want to make them smile again, but they're just so... bleh." I whined.

"Maybe we should get everyone together and talk about it." Sangyeon suggested.

"We shouldn't bother Hwan, Eric and Keon. It's a critical time in their lives." I said as I singled out whoever else was to be left alone. "In short, it'd just be me, you, Sangyeon, and Chanhee."

"Where should we meet up?" Juyeon asked as he started typing on his phone.

"We can meet at my place. My dad wouldn't mind you all coming over." I said as I sent my father a text to let him know.

"Great. See you at lunch?" Juyeon asked.

I nodded then gave him a brief hug before heading off with Sangyeon. No matter what, I wasn't going to let anything bad happen to my friends. Lord forbid if anything already had.

🐿🐿🐿🐿

I stretched out as my last class for the day had ended. I packed up my bag then frowned as he wasn't waiting for me as he usually did. I missed walking to the dining hall with Youngjo. I sighed then noticed Juyeon heading my way. It was strange as he was supposed to still be in class.

"Juyeon, did you skip class?" I asked full of suspicion.

"No. She let us go early. I figured I'd come and walk with you since Youngjo doesn't." he said as he linked his arm with mine.

"You're too sweet." I said with an obvious blush.

We entered the dining hall and I broke away from Juyeon to push two tables together. I pushed the chairs over then sighed in satisfaction.

"We're the first ones huh?" Juyeon said as he placed his bag down.

"Yeah. I'm usually the first one here. I'll watch our stuff, so go ahead and get something." I said as I took a seat.

"No, you can go. I'm not even that hungry." he said as he sat down as well.

Soon the sound of our stomachs were heard and we both laughed.

"Fine, I'll get both of us food. Is there anything in particular you want?" Juyeon asked as he pushed his chair in.

"Not today. So, surprise me." I said with a grin.

I watched as others filed in and I waved Sangyeon and Youngjo down. I smiled happily as they sat on either side of me. I looked at Youngjo who yawned before resting his head against the table. I looked at Sangyeon who only shrugged.

"Did you not get enough sleep last night?" I asked softly.

"Something like that." said Youngjo flatly.

"I keep telling you not to stay up late making beats." I scolded.

"Ugh, shut up. You're giving me a headache." he said sharply before closing his eyes.

I shrunk back as Youngjo had never spoke harshly to me. Soon the others joined us at the table. I waved to them and didn't receive a greeting back from Kevin nor Younghoon. I looked to Geonhak who was already leaving to get food for himself and Younghoon. Things were quieter than I expected. Though, I shouldn't have been surprised since it's been this way for a while. Youngjo and Kevin always fell asleep, while Younghoon simply leaned against Geonhak while picking at his food. Their foul moods always hurt the good mood the rest of us tried to create.

🐿🐿🐿🐿

We arrived at my place then heard people shouting further down the block.

"Hwan? Keon?" I said as they ran toward us

"How could... you just... leave... us out?" Hwanwoong said in between breaths.

"Well you're seniors. Your grades are important and you need to study." I said as I ushered the others in. "You shouldn't trouble yourself over small things."

"Small things? They're our friends too, Seoho! We care just as much as you." Keonhee whined.

Arguing further wouldn't result in anything, so I ushered them inside. I locked the door then joined them in the living room.

"Wait, Eric didn't come with you?" I asked as I took a headcount.

"Of course not. Either he's busy with Youngjo, Kevin and Younghoon or saying he can't hang and needs to get home. Today was the former." Hwanwoong said with a sigh.

I clapped my hands then explained the purpose of the meetup.

"So, any ideas on how we should confront them?" I asked, leaving the floor open.

"I say we throw out ideas, form one solution and select one person to do the confrontation." Geonhak said.

I looked around and they all seemed in agreement. We started to share ideas and eventually came down to one solution. We then took a vote and I had been selected.

"I'll confront them tomorrow then and tell you the results, okay?" I said.

They agreed in unison then started chattering about classes. I got up from my spot to fetch them all a cup of water and possibly snacks if we had any.

"Hey." I heard a voice say.

"Oh, Juyeon. If you need the restroom it's upstairs, third door on your left." I said as I realized we didn't have enough cups, so I took out a few wine glasses.

"I remember where it is, but that isn't what I wanted to ask." he said as he stopped me from pouring water. "Are you going to be okay confronting them yourself?"

I gave him a bright smile despite quaking on the inside. I couldn't let him know I had become afraid of my closest friends. That I was afraid that what I was going to do might end our friendship or get physical. I didn't want anyone to see me at my worst.

"I'm sure. Could you take these to everyone?" I asked as I positioned a few cups in his hands and arms.

"If it gets to be too much, don't try to handle it on your own. Call for help, okay?" said Juyeon before walking away.

I quickly turned around to hide the blush growing on my face in case he had turned around. Lee Juyeon never ceased to drive my heart wild.


	15. Bonus pt.2

I waited in the lounge area for them to arrive. I spotted them walking down the hall and proceeded to take deep breaths. I assured myself I could do it, not just for us, but for themselves as well.

"You called?" Youngjo asked as he flopped onto the bench.

Younghoon sat down next to him with a yawn. Kevin hadn't arrived yet as he was still in class. After a while of waiting, Kevin had arrived looking just as indifferent.

"Hey, I'm just going to start off with that we all love you and want the best for you. Don't forget that." I said making sure I made eye contact with the three of them. "As of late, we've all been concerned about your behaviors, actions, words and attitudes. If I were to sum it up, they all reek. I don't know what's gotten into the three you of, but you need to cut it out. And I hear that Eric's been hanging out with you and his grades are slipping because of it. Don't you realize how you're jeopardizing his future? I'm really not asking much of you, but please, straighten yourselves out. We don't like it. We want our friends back."

I looked at them as they gazed at me with blank stares. Youngjo pushed his hair back with a sigh.

"Are you done?" he deadpanned.

I felt a sharp pain in my chest at his words. We spent all that time formulating what we wanted to convey and all he had to say was "Are you done?". Kevin had not once looked up from his phone since he sat down and Younghoon was fast asleep. These weren't our friends anymore.

"No, I'm not done." I said while my voice cracked. "You can say whatever to me, but don't you ever try and hurt one of the others. You three should feel blessed that we all still give a shit about you. You should feel so fucking grateful that we weren't so eager to cut ties with you." I said through my tears.

"We never asked for it." said Youngjo as he got up from his seat then woke up Younghoon and took Kevin's phone. "Good day."

I watched them walk away with my slightly blurred vision. They easily crumpled up our hard work and threw it away. I took out my phone then hesitated. I shook my head and put my phone away. I wasn't going to give up until I could give them positive news.

🐿🐿🐿🐿

I sat in the library as I couldn't face any of them after what had occurred earlier today. What could I do to get them to see that we wanted to help them, whatever it may be? I heard familiar laughter and hid behind a book. It was Juyeon. My pulse quickened until I saw him with someone else. I quietly sighed as I always hoped for too much and ended up hurt in the end. Just like this morning.

🐿🐿🐿🐿

I yawned as I scrolled through social media late at night. I soon received a call from Youngjo and quickly answered.

"Hello?" I said happily.

"Come quick, its an emergency. We need you..." said Youngjo.

I was up and out of bed as I asked him what he needed help with and where. The task was simple, but he had given me an address that didn't look familiar. A part of me wondered why they went out so far.

I jogged up the hill then looked around. I spotted the house with the red roof then rang the bell as no one was outside. I had forgotten it was an emergency and started ringing the bell more. I tried the door and was relieved to see it was open. I walked in, but didn't see anyone. I started to wonder if I had gotten the wrong address. I heard a wail and hurried towards it. Nothing was there.

I found myself entering an almost empty room then heard voices from downstairs. Just as I was about to leave the room, the door suddenly swung open and I was being held at gun point. I silently cooperated with the authorities as I had no clue as to what was going on.

"We found'em." one of the officers said.

I stayed put as I would probably be yelled at for moving and making it worse. Soon I was being handcuffed and led downstairs. I caught a glimpse of what the officer found and felt my eyes widen in surprise. It started to add up. Things fell into place. There was no emergency, they weren't waiting for me in this house, they set me up. I had learned the reason for their constant fatigue and awful appearance. My precious friends were hooked on drugs.

I looked out the police car and saw them watching everything from afar. I gave them a wave before the car sped off. If they wanted me to take blame, then I would. It sounded pathetic and idiotic, but I considered them irreplaceable friends. No matter how long I end up being locked away for, not once would I hate them nor want revenge.


End file.
